


Backstage

by GarbageChic



Series: Forbidden Love [4]
Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Implied Relationships, Implied/Referenced Cheating, Light Angst, Romance, Smut, True Love, Unplanned Pregnancy, olicity - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-28
Updated: 2016-12-28
Packaged: 2018-09-11 10:08:09
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,779
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8975302
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GarbageChic/pseuds/GarbageChic
Summary: Ten minutes after he left her at the bar, the door opened and softly closed with a click. All he needed was three strides to close the distance between them before his lips came crashing down on hers, devouring them hungrily and pulling her tightly against him.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Another installment in the [Forbidden Love series](https://archiveofourown.org/series/475324). This takes place after [Catalyst](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7244995).
> 
> My very first smut piece.

**Backstage**

 

This was the last place she wanted to be tonight she sighed to herself as she sat alone at the bar. The soft sound of festive music the mini orchestra was playing was mostly drowned out by the din of the crowd. She breathed out another deep, long-drawn sigh, her fingers drumming on the wooden surface in front of her.

She was at the company’s annual holiday fundraiser, and this year it was being held at a new venue which they owned.

Their company had acquired a new building in the heart of the city several months ago, and the first thing the board had decided to do was renovate an entire floor for all their events. Not that they held many events during the year, but the board members in all their infinite wisdom decided that hosting parties in-house would be cheaper for them in the long run.

The ballroom the fundraiser was being held in was large and fully decorated for the holidays, with tables and chairs spread tastefully across the spacious room. There was a small stage in one corner for the mini orchestra, a dance floor near the stage and a bar at the far end of the room. A huge Christmas tree stood in the corner, expensive ornaments adorning it, and a brightly lit star perched on top. The tree flashed and flickered with its dazzling lights, the silver flash of tinsel glittering brightly.

Outside, fancy men’s and women’s bathrooms were at the far end of the hall, and across from them was a large kitchen, fully equipped with counters, several huge refrigerators, stoves, and a large walk in freezer all ready for the caterers to do their work.

There was still an incomplete section that was sealed off temporarily with a large green curtain. This area was going to be a smaller ballroom for less important functions and events, but at the moment it was still a set of offices with a small conference room in between, all of which were being used for storage.

Another heavy sigh escaped her lips. She really should have brought a friend along to keep her company, but her plans had literally changed at the last minute leaving her no time to find anyone.

It was bad enough she couldn't drink - something she could really _really_ use right now, but the worst part of being here on her own tonight, was that he was here too… with his wife.

Initially, they'd both planned on coming to the event alone so they could end up spending the night together. It wasn't like anyone would suspect anything - after all they were the joint CEOs of the company that was hosting the event who, despite all the problems and arguments they'd had at the beginning when their companies had merged, got along very well in public.

As long as they kept their hands to themselves, no one would have a reason to suspect that they were anything other than business partners who’d each showed up at a company event alone, and deciding it was a good idea - for business reasons of course - they’d stay and entertain the guests together.

But unfortunately for them, their plans changed when his wife surprised him with an unscheduled visit only a few hours before they were supposed to leave for the event, and _insisted_ on coming to the fundraiser with him. So he'd been forced to send her a text letting her know and apologizing for having to cancel on her.

She wished she could have stayed at home instead and spent the night in bed with a tub of ice cream and Netflix, but sadly her position as CEO left her no choice but to make an appearance tonight. This was a huge event for the company. They were expecting a lot of very important guests, mostly politicians and heads of rival companies, and there would definitely be a lot of press coverage.

But instead, she was sitting at the bar alone, nursing a drink she couldn't have, and stealing glances towards the opposite end of the room where he was, with his wife glued to his side.

Coming alone to the event was turning out to be a bad idea. So far she’d been approached by several rich sleaze-bags twice her age offering to buy her another drink, or worse, asking her to dance. No thanks, she didn’t want their filthy hands roaming all over her body.

None of them had made their intentions, or what they’d hoped they’d be getting by the end of the night, a secret. One of them had even gone as far as to boast to her about the fancy hotel suite he’d be spending the night in, all alone… unless she wanted to join him.

She wondered if they were aware of who she was. Would they still have tried to get into her pants if they knew she was part owner of the company? She was certain the answer was yes.

After she’d turned down another offer to dance, this time from a cocky, surprisingly good looking millionaire closer to her age, she spun around in her seat to watch _him_.

Her breath caught as she took the sight of him in. She hadn’t had a chance to really look at him properly earlier that night, but now that he was facing her direction she had a clearer view of his outfit.

There was no dress code for the night, black tie was optional. So it came as no surprise that he was wearing a very well fitted suit which hugged him in all the right places. Instead of a tie he’d opted for a bow tie, and the open suit jacket showed off the suspenders he was wearing underneath.

She swore under her breath. It wasn't fair, he wasn't allowed to look so damn hot and sexy, not when her hormones were making her feel things she’d never felt before, and certainly not when the last time they’d had sex was weeks ago.

He was standing with a group of higher profile guests, something that she should be doing too. But instead she sat watching him as he talked to the mayor, shook his hand and led his wife towards the dance floor.

As she watched them dance she felt her fingers tighten around the glass she was holding. She wasn't jealous, not like that. At least that’s what she kept telling herself. She _knew_ what she was getting herself into the minute they'd started this. It was something they’d talked about in the beginning. She knew that moments like these were inevitable, and she _was_ his wife after all, so she had every right to be with him wherever and whenever she chose.

As his secret lover she had no right to be jealous. _She_ was the imposter, _she_ was the one taking him away from his family so _she_ wasn’t allowed to have any of the feelings she was having… regardless of her current situation.

It was a harsh reminder that what they were doing was wrong and it sucked that she had to be reminded of this tonight of all nights. In a few days he’d be on the other side of the country spending the holidays with his family, and the next time she’d see him was in two weeks.

She’d never felt more lonely in her life than she did in that moment.

Her eyes followed his every move. As she watched his hand move down his wife’s back, it brought back memories of the last time they were together and what those hands did to her when she’d snuck into his office during their lunch break. He’d locked the door and backed her up against it. His hand slipping between her thighs, his fingers finding her entrance and teasing her before sliding them inside her and pumping them in and out until she was begging for release.

Her body stirred and her arousal sent a pool of her juices gushing out, soaking her underwear and making her squirm uncomfortably in her seat. She crossed her legs, pressing her thighs together, hoping to relieve some of the pressure she was feeling.

She definitely needed to get laid tonight or she’d lose her damn mind.

* * *

 

He could feel her eyes on him. He was always aware of her whenever she was in the same room, no matter who was with him.

As he swung around on the dance floor he looked up towards the bar and he knew he was right the moment their eyes met; she was watching him. He could tell she’d been thinking about him from the flushed look on her face and his eyes darkened as he met her gaze, but it only lasted for a few seconds before his face went blank and his mouth set in a hard line.

When the song they were dancing to ended, he whispered something into his wife's ear and led her back to their table. He then excused himself and headed towards the bar.

He stood beside her but kept some distance between them, wanting their meeting to look as professional as possible for any prying eyes. There were a few people within earshot, so he waited until the bartender served them their drinks and taken his order.

When they were the only ones there, and the bartender was a safe distance away, he turned towards her with a fake smile plastered on his face. “You shouldn’t be drinking.” he whispered, a little too harshly.

Her body stiffened at his tone and she shot him a look, “I’m not,” she said dryly.

“Then what’s that in your hand?” he pointed at the glass she was holding.

"Wine," she shot back. He opened his mouth to say something else but she quickly cut him off, "which I'm _not_ drinking."

He breathed a sigh of relief and relaxed. “I’m sorry, I was just-”

"Hey, relax.” she put her untouched drink down and pushed it away. “How do you think it would look if I was seen without a drink in my hand? I'm single _and_ at a party. People are gonna start talking and making assumptions, and I’m not ready to face any rumors about my current situation yet."

He leaned against the bar; letting out the breath he didn’t know he was holding. He’d been so distracted by the drink in her hand earlier that he hadn’t had a chance to take a good look at her. But now that he was standing beside her, his eyes lingered on her taking everything in and his pants suddenly felt tighter.

She was adorned in a tight, long sleeved red dress that was so short, it barely covered her ass. Much like his suit, the dress hugged her in all the right places showing off her amazing body. The curved neckline was low enough to show off the perfect amount of cleavage now that her breasts were fuller and slightly larger than before, and her soft curls fell to her shoulders, barely touching them.

He narrowed his eyes at her, “I asked you not to wear that dress tonight,” he growled.

She toyed with a lock of hair and smiled when she saw his eyes darken, knowing that her last minute wardrobe choice for the night was a total success. “You did, but I decided to wear it anyway.”

He leaned closer, “You know exactly what it does to me. We agreed that you wouldn’t wear that dress in public unless I could take you home afterwards.”

“Well you _know_ what those suspenders do to me,” she huffed, “call it payback.”

The bartender chose that moment to appear with his drinks. She waited as he thanked the bartender and tipped him generously and when he was out of earshot again, he turned his attention back to her.

“Besides, this is the last chance I’m going to get to wear it for a very long time _and_ I plan on getting laid tonight,” she finished.

He glanced around to make sure no one was listening. He wanted nothing more than to bury himself deep inside her and make love to her all night, but they both knew there was no way it was happening, not tonight when his wife was in town. “You know I can't.” he told her firmly.

“Fine,” she huffed, “if you don't want to then I’ll just have to accept one of the _many_ offers I've had tonight.”

He tensed. “Don't joke about things like that.”

He knew she was trying to wind him up, but the thought of her letting another man, even worse a total stranger, touch her the way he did and make her scream out in pleasure, sent a streak of jealousy right through him. He couldn't stand the thought of anyone else touching her like that. She was his, just as he was hers; it was an unspoken agreement between them. He knew it was hypocritical because she shared him with another woman, but they both knew that his heart belonged to her.

“I wasn't,” she shot back. “These hormones are making me _super_ horny and if you're not available to fuck me, then I'm gonna find someone who is.”

He sighed heavily and shot a quick glance across the room to where his table was. His wife was happily chatting to someone, he recognized the woman she was talking to as the wife of one of the board members he was introduced to earlier that evening.

“Turn left at the end of the hall, through the curtain, third door on your right you’ll find a conference room. Meet me there in ten minutes,” he picked up the two drinks in front of him, “and _don’t_ be late.” he mumbled under his breath as he headed back to his table.

* * *

 

As soon as his back was turned she headed for the door, avoiding any small talk with the guests she passed along the way. She wanted to get out as quickly as possible so that they weren't seen leaving at the same time. She could feel his eyes on her as she walked out of the side door and knew he’d be at the rendezvous point in exactly ten minutes. If anything he was always punctual, and was hardly ever late.

She hadn't been to the building before today, he was the one that had been overseeing all the construction and renovations, but she had no trouble finding her way to the conference room.

Once she was safely inside she shut the door and leaned back against it, taking everything in. The room itself wasn’t big, her office was much bigger. There was a large glass table in the center and at the far end of the room were stacks of boxes.

She still had a few minutes to spare, so she walked around the room, setting her clutch down on the table whilst checking the walls and ceiling to make sure there were no security cameras anywhere. The last thing they both needed right now was a sex video leaked to the press.

Ten minutes after he left her at the bar, the door opened and softly closed with a click. All he needed was three strides to close the distance between them before his lips came crashing down on hers, devouring them hungrily and pulling her tightly against him.

She could feel every inch of his hardening bulge pressing against her stomach. She whimpered against his lips, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him closer, kissing him harder.

His tongue begged for entrance and she opened her mouth for him as he took complete advantage. Their tongues tangled as one of his hands fell to her tight ass, pulling her up higher so he could rub his aching bulge where she needed him the most, making her gasp into his mouth. She arched into him, rubbing herself against him and trying to get that much needed friction she‘d been craving for so long.

He pulled back reluctantly. “We don’t have much time.” he whispered hoarsely, backing her up towards the table.

His hands found their way back to her ass again, kneading it lightly before going lower and hiking her dress up over her hips, only to discover that she was completely naked underneath. He swore under his breath, his aching length straining to break free from the confines of his pants. “You’re not wearing any underwear.” he growled.

“I took them off; they were completely soaked.” she whispered against his mouth, holding onto his suspenders and tugging him closer.

He loved knowing that all she had to do was think of him and she’d be so wet and ready.

“Fuck,” was all he could say before claiming her lips again in another hungry kiss. He needed to be inside her just as much as she needed him. He lifted her onto the cold glass, his mouth still on hers as he spread her legs and stepped in between them.

She moaned into his mouth reaching down blindly to unbutton his pants, making him hiss when her hand rubbed him through the thin fabric before pulling down his zipper.

She broke away from him and leaned back, spreading her legs wider, completely opening herself to him. “Please,” she begged, squeezing him through his underwear. “I need you inside me. _Now_...”

The sight of her open before him was his undoing. He took off his jacket throwing it carelessly across the table and slid his suspenders off his shoulders, yanking his pants down. His boxer briefs followed and his erection sprung free as he grabbed her by the hips and pulled her to the edge of the table.

She wrapped her legs around his waist and pulled him closer, gasping when he pressed his rock hard cock against her clit, and as good as it felt it still wasn’t where she needed him right now. She desperately wanted him inside her, but it wasn’t his erection that she felt sliding roughly into her wet heat, it was three of his fingers.

She gasped at the sudden but welcome intrusion. “Yesssssss,” she hissed, as his fingers slid deeper inside, searching for that magical spot that he knew would make her scream out loud.

“Fuck, baby. You're so wet.” he groaned, before their mouths locked again. His thumb found her clit and pressed hard against the sensitive bundle of nerves as his fingers started thrusting in and out of her.

“Come for me, baby,” he whispered softly against her mouth, his fingers hitting that sensitive spot inside her over and over, while his thumb rubbed her clit hard and fast.

She could feel her pleasure building quickly inside her. She was close, so close. He was so fucking good with his hands.

“Faster… harder…don’t stop...” her cries grew louder as he did as he was asked. “Yes, yes, oh fuck!”

She threw her head back as her orgasm tore through her. Her walls pulsing around his fingers as she came undone, crying out his name. Her hips thrusting against his hand with no rhythm as she rode it out.

Once the last wave of her orgasm ebbed, he pulled his fingers out and slowly licked them clean, one at a time, making her whimper. “You taste so good, my love. So good.”

She reached up pulling his head down for another kiss, moaning into his mouth when she tasted herself. She pulled away and slid her hands down between them, reaching for his rock hard cock. She ran her thumb over the sensitive head and he shuddered. “Please, I need you inside me. _Right now_.” she begged.

“I don’t have any condoms-”

She shook her head. “I don’t care, it’s not like you’re gonna knock me up again.”

Using her free hand as leverage, she slid closer to the edge, lining him up with her entrance. “ _Please_.”

He cupped her cheeks gently, stroking them with his thumbs, and looked into her bright blue eyes - eyes that shone with so much love and desire for him - and without warning he pushed into her with one solid thrust burying himself to the hilt, never breaking eye contact, not even for a second. He loved watching the way she gasped when every inch of him was buried deep inside of her.

She was so tight. So perfect. Always so wet and ready for him. They fit perfectly together. It was as if they were made for each other.

She shifted slightly, raising her legs higher and hooking her ankles around his waist, taking him in deeper than he thought was possible.

He shuddered, slamming his eyes shut. “Fuck. You feel so good, honey.”

He leaned in and took her earlobe into his mouth, sucking and tugging on it gently, eliciting a moan out of her. He let go and his lips traveled up to her ear, “Hold onto me tight.” he whispered softly, as he peppered tiny wet kisses down her cheek and back to her lips.

She instantly responded by wrapping her arms around his neck tightly, pulling him in closer, “I imagined you saying that under these circumstances.” she hummed against his lips with a smile.

He kissed her hard, leaving her breathless. His hands slowly slid down to her hips; angling her just enough so that his cock was grazing that sensitive spot inside of her that always left her gasping for air.

“Oh god.” she cried out as her hips thrust up to meet his.

His hand moved to rest on her lower back, holding her firmly in place while the other fell onto the table for leverage. He pulled out slowly and thrust back into her to the hilt.

He started out slow, wanting to take his time and savor every breathtaking reaction, but that was the last thing she wanted right now.

She was growing impatient, and while she would have enjoyed his current pace any other time, right now she needed more from him. “Faster…please, baby. I need you to go faster.” she begged, urging him on.

He tightened his grip on her lower back and changed the pace, pounding into her with more force as he built her up. His hips struck her sensitive clit with every thrust, making her cry out.

She dropped her head to his shoulder. “Fuck.” she whimpered against him, biting her lower lip.

With one arm still around his neck, holding on for dear life, the other one dropped on top of his; their fingers tangled as she lifted herself to meet each of his thrusts with her own. The sound of their skin slapping together filled the room.

His lips latched onto the sensitive spot beneath her ear, sucking and licking. “Yes, oh god… yes, yes…” she moaned, throwing her head back and giving him more access. “So close, baby… so close.”

He could feel his own release tingling at the base of his spine but it was too soon; he needed her to come first. He quickened his pace thrusting harder and faster, wanting to feel her inner walls clamping down on him, and her juices coating his length. He let go of her hand, and slipped a finger between their joint bodies to circle her clit. “Come for me, baby.” he groaned, rubbing harder, “Come for me.”

“Yes...yes...ahhhhhh... ” she cried out, her nails digging into his shoulder as her orgasm shot through her and she came undone in his arms.

Her walls fluttered around his length, taking him in deeper as he chased his own release. His thrusts became faster and more erratic as he slammed into her over and over. Her name rolled off his tongue as he came with a ragged shout, burying himself deep in her core as he exploded inside her.

They sagged against each other trying to catch their breath. She buried her face into his neck and he pulled her tightly against him, placing a soft kiss on the top of her head. “You ok?” he whispered.

“Yeah.” she nodded against him, nuzzling his neck and breathing in his scent. “Best. Sex. Ever.” she mumbled.

“You’re welcome.” he chuckled softly, his hands roaming all over her back.

She glanced up at him playfully, giving him her best serious look. “As much as I’d _love_ to give you credit for the two amazing orgasms I just had, I wanna set the record straight and let you know it was the hormones, not you.” she teased.

He shook his head at her and laughed, gently caressing her face. He couldn’t believe how lucky he was to have her in his life. He was madly in love with her and couldn’t imagine his life without her.

“We should be getting back.” he sighed, slowly pulling out of her and leaving a trail of their combined juices on the glass. His hands dropped to her waist as he helped her slide off the table making an even bigger mess.

Keeping her in place with one hand still on her hip, he reached over and slid the box of tissues lying in the middle of the table towards them. He pulled out a couple of tissues from the box and slipped them between her legs, gently wiping her clean. He took his time cleaning her up, his hand purposefully lingering between her thighs.

But the soft tissue sliding over her sensitive flesh was too much for her to handle, she bit down on her lower lip and shook her head as she reached down and pushed his hand away.

He let her go and cleaned up; tucking himself back into his pants while she slipped her underwear back on and fixed her dress. He then wiped the evidence of their lovemaking from the table and disposed of the used tissues in the nearest trash can. He hoisted up his suspenders and reached for the jacket he discarded earlier.

When they were both ready and presentable again, he wrapped his arms around her and placed a light kiss on her lips. “I have to get back. My wife will be wondering where I am.”

Her hand went up to cup his cheek and ran her thumb over his scruff. “I wish you didn't have to go.” she sighed.

His heart lurched; he could see the pain behind her eyes even though she was trying her best to hide it. He hated the part of their relationship where he had to leave her alone and go back to his family. He turned his head and pressed a tender kiss to the palm of her hand, “I'll make it up to you, I promise.”

Unshed tears stung her eyes, threatening to fall. She pulled out of his embrace; she didn't want him to see her cry. “You should go,” she said with a sad smile, gently pushing him away, “you don't want her searching the whole building for you.”

“Do you wanna go back in first?” he asked.

She turned around to pick up her clutch and shook her head. “I wanna head to the ladies and freshen up first.”

He knew why she'd turned her back to him and he couldn't bring himself to leave her alone, not while she was like this. He'd never seen her this upset before and it worried him.

He took a step towards her and put a hand on her shoulder, “Hey, talk to me.” he said softly.

“I’m fine. It's just my hormones, they’re all over the place.” she lied, her voice breaking. “Just go. Please.”

“Are you sure?” he asked. All she had to do was say the words and he’d stay.

She nodded again not trusting her voice anymore as tears he couldn’t see started rolling down her cheeks.

He felt bad leaving her like this, but he knew her well enough to know that she needed to be left alone.

They'd talk about this later in the privacy of her apartment where they wouldn't get interrupted, and he’d make sure to check on her later at the party as soon as he had the chance. But right now he had to go back; he was certain his wife had noticed that he'd been gone for longer than was necessary and was probably looking for him.

He gave her shoulder one final squeeze and leaned in to kiss the top of her head, “I love you.” he whispered, and headed out of the room before she had the chance to say it back.

The door closed with a soft click. She waited several seconds before she allowed herself to break down. Tears coursed down her cheeks as sobs wracked her body. This wasn’t supposed to happen. She never cried, or gotten this upset, after he'd left her. It was why they had a set of rules they’d agreed on from the beginning, and today they’d broken several.

When the tears stopped flowing she wiped her cheeks, hoping that she didn't look like a total mess, and headed to the bathroom to clean up properly, and fix her makeup before joining the party again.

* * *

 

She was on her way back to join the crowd of people in the ballroom when she heard a familiar voice behind her, one she recognised instantly as the young millionaire who’d hit on her earlier in the evening.

“Twice in one night, this must be destiny.”

She rolled her eyes, groaning internally, and turned to face him with a fake smile plastered on her face. “If I didn’t know better I’d say you were stalking me, Mr. Palmer.”

“Please, call me Ray.” he laughed, and held up his phone. “I had an urgent conference call with Japan I couldn’t reschedule, so I took it outside.” He moved his hand to the small of her back, nudging her towards the door, “So, how about you let me buy you that drink?”

She grimaced when she felt him touch her and quickened her step as they walked back in, trying to stay ahead of him and his touch. Unfortunately he kept up with her and his hand was still firm on her back. It took everything in her to keep smiling and not push his hand away. The last thing she wanted to do now was cause a scene.

It wasn't easy getting to where she was on her own and she'd learned early on that there were times when she had to put up with certain things in public, and playing nice with rich pompous assholes like Mr. Palmer was one of them.

She was about to turn Ray Palmer down for the second time that evening, when she looked up and found _his_ wife staring up at them from their table. She watched her lean over and whisper something in his ear, something that made him glance her way. She could see the hint of disapproval and jealousy in his eyes from where she was, but he quickly looked away and shrugged it off, saying something to his wife that made her smile.

She was pretty sure she knew exactly what his wife said to him about her that made him look at her the way he did. Maybe it was for the best. After all they had been stupidly careless tonight, and if his wife thought that she’d been with Ray Palmer then even better.

In a few months news of her pregnancy would be out, and it didn’t help that she hadn’t been seen out in public with anyone since the affair started. There would definitely be rumors and speculation about who the baby daddy was and maybe people thinking she had a one night stand at a party with some rich guy was better than them speculating about their affair.

She smiled up at Ray, “Only one, but nothing alcoholic. I’m driving myself home tonight and I’ve already had enough to drink.” she lied.

He led her to an empty table and pulled out a chair for her. Once she was sitting down he placed a hand on her shoulder, “I _could_ ask my driver take you home.” he said, with a smug smile.

Something about that smile and his expression made her feel uneasy. He was obviously expecting her to spend the night with him and there was no way that was happening. “No thanks, I’m good,” she replied quickly, “I have an important meeting first thing tomorrow, and I want to be well rested and sober.”

Before he had a chance to say anything else, her phone dinged letting her know she’d received a text message. Perfect timing. “Excuse me, I have to take this.” she said reaching into her clutch and pulling her phone out.

He pointed towards the bar, “I’ll go get our drinks.”

As soon as he was gone, she unlocked her phone. The message was from him.

_Are you ok?_

_Feeling better now, sorry about the mini breakdown earlier. *smiling emoji*._

_Are you sure?_

_Yes. Like I said, it was just the hormones. Didn’t mean to freak you out. We can talk about it later._

_Ok._

Her phone dinged again as Ray came back with their drinks.

_Need me to come over and save you from Mr. Palmer?_

_I think I can handle him. If I need any help I’ll let you know._

Her phone dinged one last time, she couldn’t help smiling when she looked down at and saw the heart eyes emoji followed by a couple of red hearts.

“Boyfriend?” Ray asked, reminding her that she wasn’t alone at the table anymore.

“Sort of.” she said flatly, not wanting a complete stranger prying into her private life.

The answer, along with her tone seemed to have done the trick. He stood up and held out his hand, which she politely took. “It was a pleasure talking to you.”

She was expecting a quick handshake but instead, he lifted her hand to his lips and pressed a soft kiss on top, his lips lingering for too long making her skin crawl.

“And if things don't work out with that _boyfriend_ of yours, give me a call.”

She pulled her hand away and forced another smile, “Thanks, I’ll consider it.” she said dryly.

And with that he walked away, and she was finally alone again. She looked down at her phone to check the time and groaned. At least one more hour before she could abandon the party and spend the rest of the night snuggled in bed with Ben and Jerry.

_Fin_

 


End file.
